Loetscher campaign seems to be getting a bit desperate as Sioux Falls mayoral campaign winds down to run off

Pat Powers

There’s a story about alleged campaign hacking that’s getting ginned up a bit in Sioux Falls:

Minnehaha County Sheriff Mike Milstead confirms that a hacking probe is underway, involving a candidates campaign website, e-mail account, wi-fi, and social media. It may have been occuring for the past several months.

Milstead’s prepared statement says that investigators have reached out to other mayoral candidates to determine if those campaigns experienced similar interference.

Loetscher and Paul TenHaken are in a run off May first, for the top job in South Dakota’s largest city.

The hacking allegations came up in Monday’s mayoral debate between Loetscher and TenHaken. TenHaken acknowleged that investigators questioned him on Sunday, before accusing Loetscher of implying that he, TenHaken, was responsible for the hacking. Loetscher responded by saying that TenHaken has said in the past that he has the tools to do it.

Read it here.

So, Democrat Mayoral Candidate Joelene Loetscher may have been intimating that her opponent has something to do with her campaign allegedly being “hacked?”   That seems a bit… desperate, as Loetcher appears to be shifting negative in the final hours of the campaign.

Why does this sound like she’s telling a “big scary computer” story? What’s next? Is she going to accuse her opponent of making her forget her banking password?

A few weeks later her secured Wi-Fi was entered by someone without authorization, and in February the login for her campaign bank account was changed, causing her to be locked out for a time.

Read that here.

Sorry I asked.

Update – here’s the video where Loetscher tries to portray her opponent as a computer hacker.. about 50 minutes in:

17 thoughts on “Loetscher campaign seems to be getting a bit desperate as Sioux Falls mayoral campaign winds down to run off”

    1. Still, perhaps not the best way to convince people you’re squeaky clean . . . ?

      “Paul you had left me a voicemail where you told me that you had tools in your toolbox that you could choose to use against my campaign,” Loetscher said at the Rotary Club debate.

      “When I talk about tools in the toolbox, what I mean is negative campaign tools, I had dirt on every single candidate, all seven candidates, but I don’t do that,” TenHaken said at the Rotary Club debate.

  4. Does she have something to hide? I thought she was deep into this transparency thing? Maybe she’s changing her mind about taking the door off the mayor’s office if elected?

      1. Sure, it’s one way to embrace the transparency issue that’s now been overly discussed. Maybe she has something to hide? Collaboration with the Argus and their journalists? Collaboration with SDVP? I know they certainly haven’t helped her campaign, maybe there’s damage control taking place the public needs to know more about? Interesting, I wonder.

        1. Are you for real? Do you realize the kind of confidential data is there for any campaign? Your self consumed anger clouds any chance for reasonable thought. It is no wonder many don’t waste their time trying to engage with you. Let us know how your Constitutional Party convention goes.

          1. Did you engage with me? I think you did.

            I’m not pandering to your feelings. I have no control over you, wait, maybe I do. You seem to be very upset that I don’t feel the same way about this so-called hack as you. Some might consider you being offended a form of control. You getting all upset over me making jokes… I mean making hate speech;) So sad.

            I love the Constitution, many Americans do. Not Liberals or Democrats, they hate freedom. The freedom to think for oneself is what they hate the most.

            Russia, Russia, Russia.

  6. To conflate opposition to being hacked and having something to hide is absolutely asinine. Having crazy people supporting TenHaken doesn’t help.

    That said, accusing TenHaken of hacking her is equally asinine. She is starting to show too many of Huether’s craziness.

    1. I see you’ve lost your sense of humor:( ‘Your #1 source for satirical Sioux Falls news!’ is a fun website, check it out, maybe you’ll learn to laugh again. Lighten up.

  7. I should have known we had a problem, when a proactive person of faith thought it would be funny to joke about the mafia by naming his investment company the “Dutch Mafia.”

  8. Did you assume my gender and nationality? That’s not very tolerant of you, questioning my inner-being and heritage. You should follow your fellow Leftists around, they’ll tell you just how inappropriate you’re behaving. Also, you must have forgotten that Leftists believe asking people where they are from is racist, you shouldn’t do that anymore. Some Liberals even think you could incite violence with your hate speech… I mean free speech. Troy calls me crazy, but the really crazy times are happening at parties hosted by Leftists. Will you be hosting a party this weekend?

  9. Almost as desperate as some of the articles you’ve posted about her, Pat. She’s gonna lose, but there is a serious case of the pot calling the kettle black here.

  10. I encourage everybody to watch Paul’s expressions and listen to his tone around minutes 55-60 of the Rotary video. It definitely shows a different side of Paul…

    1. I’ve got a better idea… Go to Jo and encourage her to edit that particular section out and post it on her FB. To convince more people, make sure the description includes things like: men have more rights than women, white privilege, it’s not my fault, and I support mandates on the public sector. Oh, and the words “I felt threatened” will help tremendously.

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